Today Tasmania’s peak Environment group commended Petuna Seafood’s decision to rule out expansion on Tasmania’s east coast. The company confirmed their position yesterday in a statement to Environment Tasmania. Petuna has joined Huon Aquaculture in rejecting east coast expansion, leaving Tassal isolated in its controversial push into endangered whale calving habitat. Tassal's share price dropped to $4 at close of trading yesterday, $1 below the value of Huon Aquaculture shares.

“Petuna and Huon both understand the importance of social licence for the sustainability of their profits,” says Laura Kelly, Strategy Director Environment Tasmania. “The decision by Tassal’s leadership to ignore this demonstrates a recklessness that is being noticed by the market.”

Petuna's Acting CEO David Wood

“Tassal’s overstocking in Macquarie Harbour has threatened security of supply from the West Coast and this weekend there will be a massive community flotilla supported by AFL Star Nick Riewoldt and fishing icon Steve Starling, calling on Premier Hodgman to stop Tassal’s Okehampton Bay expansion.”

“If Tassal persists in ignoring community concerns and spreads their marine dead zones to the East Coast, the damage already done to their brand will escalate,” Ms Kelly says. “Consumers don’t want salmon coming from a marine dead zone.”